Pump



July 3, 1962 c, BEHRENS 3,041,980

PUMP

Filed Jan. '7, 1960 Wit 6:: 1

Illinois Filed .Fan. '7, 1964 Ser. No. 1,058 8 Claims. il. tibia-4.50)

This invention relates to a device for pumping fluid and more particularly, to a valveless diaphragm pump.

In the ordinary diaphragm pump, it is necessary to have one-way inlet and outlet valves in order to maintain a flow of fluid through the pump. in the past, this has been done by utilizing ball valves or some other mechanical valve means to alternately restrict the inlet and outlet of the pump, in accordance with the flexing of the diaphragm, to generate a flow through the pump. Pumps utilizing such mechanical valve structures may result in expensive pumps requiring extensive maintenance requirements. Often times, supplementary external apparatus is required for coordinating the closing of the valves with the flexing of the diaphragms. It is therefore extremely important to be able to generate a oneway flow with a pum without the use of special one-way mechanical valves and supplemental mechanical means to coordinate the opening and closing of the valves, to produce the pumping action.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a pumping apparatus of simple and economical construction for automatically pumping fluid without having to rely on complicated valving mechanism.

Another object of this invention resides in a pumping chamber outlet nozzle which will readily allow fluid to flow out of the chamber but which will resist the return flow of fluid through the outlet nozzle into the chamber.

A further object to this invention is to provide a pumping chamber having an inlet which will easily admit fluid into the chamber but which will resist the flow oi: fluid from the chamber through the inlet.

With these and other objects in view, the present invention contemplates a pump having a tapered pumping chamber with an outlet nozzle which resists return fluid flow into the pumping chamber, and an inlet tube extending tangentially into the pumping chamber along a chord of the chamber which resists outward return fluid flow from the chamber. The pump chamber has a flexible diaphragm spanning the chamber adjacent the inlet tube. The diaphragm is flexed toward and away from the outlet nozzle and inlet tube so that fluid to be pumped will be drawn in and out of the pumping chamber through the inlet tube and outlet nozzle, resulting in a general pumping action wherein fluid flows into the chamber from the inlet opening, and out of the chamber from the outlet nozzle.

Other objects, advantages and novel aspects of the invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detail description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a general view of a washing apparatus showing the pump inserted in the water discharge line of a washing machine, between the washing machine and a tub.

FIG. 2 is a partial section view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1, showing the diaphragm flexed toward the outlet opening at the end of a discharge stroke.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 showing the position of the inwardly extending inlet tube.

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional side view of the pump showing the diaphragm flexed away from the outlet nozzle of the pump chamber at the end of an intake stroke.

- the left (FIG. 2).

Referring to drawings, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a washing machine lltl having a discharge tube 11 in the bottom thereof which is connected to a pump, generally designated by the numeral 12. A pump discharge tube 13 is connected to the pump and empties into a tub 14.

The pump 12, as shown in greater detail in FIGS. 2 and 4, comprises two housings, namely a cover housing 2% and a pump chamber housing 21. Flanges 22 and 23 are provided on the cover housing 20 and the pump housing 21 respectively and have aligned radially spaced holes. A flexible diaphragm 25, made of rubber or other flexible material and designed to span the flanged ends of the housings 20 and 21, is held in position-between the housings 20 and 21 adjacent the flanges 22 and 23 by suitable bolt and nut arrangements (not shown) with the bolts inserted through the aligned holes 24. The housings Zfl and 21, with the diaphragm thus held in positoin, form a pump chamber 26 which could be conical as well as bell-shaped as shown in FlGS. 2 and 3, and a chamber 27 which is substantially hemispherical.

A plunger 2? is slida-bly mounted in an opening 31 of the cover housing 2t) and is biased by a spring 32 toward The plunger 29 is secured to the center of the diaphragm 25 at 30 and is reciprocated in the cover housing 2% by a conventional wobble plate mechanism generally designated by numeral 33.

The pump chamber housing 21 has an outlet nozzle formed thereon, generally designated by numeral 35, having an inner passage 36 of smooth bell mouth shape, and an outer passage 37 of a substantially constant uniform diameter. An annular shoulder 38 is provided in and defines the discharge end or orifice of the passage 36 of the nozzle 35 and connects the passages 26 and 27. The shoulder 38 may have several general alternative configurations varying from flat to grooved, with an annular groove such as 39 (FIGS. 2 and 4). The shoulder 38, whether flat or grooved, will cause a great turbulence in any fluid tending to move into the chamber 26 through the nozzle 35 and thereby the shoulder 38 will tend to prevent and minimize flow of fluid into the pumping chamber 26 from the discharge tube 13 (FIG. 1).

in the instance Where shoulder 38 has the annular groove 39 formed therein as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, there will be -a complete reversal of the direction of fluid flow of a part of any such fluid, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 4, during flexing of the diaphragm away from the nozzle. This reversed fluid flow will directly oppose the inward flow of fluid through the nozzle 35 into the chamber 26. Consequently, there will be an even greater opposing disturbance in the nozzle 35 than when the shoulder 38 is flat. Turbulent flow caused by the shoulder 38 provides a pressure drop during reverse flow causing restriction under flow conditions. It should be noted that neither a flat or grooved shoulder 38 will oppose the smooth outward fluid flow through the nozzle.

An inlet tube 45 is mounted in the pump housing and extends substantially tangentially into the pump chamber 26 with the axis 46 of the tube being a geometrical chord of the chamber 26. It should be noted that the axis 46 of the tube 45 intersects a radius 47 of the chamber 26 at an end 48 of the tube 45, at an angle 49 between the tube axis 46 and the chamber radius 47, which is less than Inasmuch as the inlet tube 46 enters the chamber 26 in a substantially tangential fashion and in asmuch as the angle 49 is something less than 90, the inlet tube 45 will provide free inward flow of fluid to the pump chamber 26 through the tube 45. Conversely fluid flow from the chamber 26 into the tube 45 is resisted inasmuch as the inlet tube end 48 of the tube 45 is suspended within the pump chamber 26 with the axis 46 of the tube 45 substantially transverse to the movement of the fluid in the chamber 26 and the diaphragm 25. Fluid in the chamber 26 will be required to change direction to enter the tube 45 and will thus be opposed in any tendency to flow out of the chamber 26 through the inlet tube 45 when the diaphragm is flexed toward the nozzle 35 and inlet tube 45.

In operation, the wobble plate 33 is rotated for reciprocating the plunger 3% to flex the diaphragm 25, alternately toward the nozzle 35 (FIG. 2) and away from the nozzle 35 (FIG. 4). When the diaphragm is flexed toward the nozzle 35, the fluid inthe pump chamber as will be simultaneously forced against the side of, and attempt to flow into, the inlet tube and freely flow out of the nozzle 35 through the smooth inner passage 36 of the pumping chamber 26. This comprises a discharge stroke of the pump 12. Inasmuch as the fluid immediately adjacent the inlet tube will be subjected to a turbulence due to relative transverse flow thereof with respect to the inlet tube 45, and inasmuch as the smooth outlet passage 36 offers little or no resistance, the fluid in the pumping chamber 26 will have a greater flow out of the pumping chamber 26, through the nozzle 35, than it will to flow into the inlet tube '45. Thereby, a pumping or discharge action is created during the flexing of the diaphragm toward the nozzle 35, wherein fluid in the H pumping chamber 26 will be forced out of the nozzle at a greater rate than fluid is forced back into the inlet tube 45.

As the wobble plate rotates to move the diaphragm away from the nozzle 35 to a position illustrated in FIG. 4, the fluid in the inner and outer passages 36 and 37 will have a tendencyto flow into the pump chamber 26, and fluid in the machine discharge tube 11 and inlet tube 45, will also tend to move into the pumping chamber 26. Inasmuch as the annular shoulder 38, surrounding the inner passage of the pumping chamber 26, provides a great turbulence to the fluid which opposes inward flow, as previously described, and inasmuch as the inlet tube 45 provides a free channel for tangential inward fluid flow, the incoming fluid will have a greater rate of flow into the pumping chamber 25 through the inlet tube 45 than will the return flow of fluid through the nozzle 35 during this movement of the diaphragm. Thereby, a suction or intake action is created during the flexing of the diaphragm 25 away from the nozzle 35, wherein fluid in the washing machine discharge tube 11 will be drawn into the pump chamber 26 through the inlet tube 45 at a greater rate than it is forced out of the nozzle 35. This comprises an intake stroke.

The 'WObblB plate is continuously rotated to cause successive flexing cycles of the diaphragm 25 with the resulting reaction of forcing fluid through the pump 12 due to the cooperating one-way eflect of the inlet tube 45 and the outlet nozzle 35. More particularly, on the suction or intake stroke where the diaphragm is moved away from the nozzle, more fluid will flow through the inlet tube into the chamber than will be drawn back into the chamber through the nozzle 35, and on the pumping or discharge stroke more fluid will be forced freely through the nozzle 35 than will be forced back out through the inlet tube 45 positioned transversely to the diaphragm. Thus a one-way effect is created causing flow or pumping of fluid through the pump.

It will be readily apparent that the stroke and speed of the diaphragm can be adjusted to suit the inlet tube and outlet nozzle insidediameters to obtain a flow rela tively suflicient to provide the restrictive effect of the reentrant nozzle turbulence.

While I have described my invention in connection with certain specific constructions and arrangements, it is to be understood that this is by way of illustration and not by way of limitation and the scope of my invention is defined solely by the appended claims which should be construed as broadly as the prior art will permit.

1 claim:

Cir

1. A fluid pump comprising a housing defining a chamber, an inlet tube passing through said housing and having one end extending tangentially into the chamber providing for the free flow f fluid into the chamber, a discharge tube connected to said chamber, and means within said chamber and operative to alternately draw fluid into said chamber through said inlet tube and to discharge fluid from said chamber through said discharge tube, said inlet tube end being spaced from said drawing and discharge means and said housing within said housing for turbulently resisting discharge of fluid from the chamber through the inlet tube to cause a resultant flow of fluid through the inlet tube into the chamber.

2. A fluid pump comprising a housing defining a chamber, an inlet tube connected to said chamber, an outlet nozzle extending from said housing and having an inner passage and a larger outer coaxial passage, means within said chamber and operative to alternately draw fluid into the chamber and to force fluid out of the chamber through the inlet tube and the outlet nozzle, and a radially extending shoulder connecting the inner and outer passages for turbulently resisting the back flow of fluid into the chamber from the outlet nozzle to cause a resultant greater flow of fluid out of the chamber than into the chamber.

3. A fluid pump comprising a housing defining a chamber, an inlet tube passing through said housing and having one end extending into said chamber, an outlet nozzle extending from said housing and having an inner passage and a larger outer coaxial passage providing for a free flow of fluid from the chamber, means within said chamber and operative to alternately draw fluid into the chamber and to force fluid out of the chamber through both the inlet tube and outlet nozzle, a lateral shoulder connecting the inner and outer passages for turbulently resisting flow of fluid into the chamber from the outlet nozzle to cause a resultant greater flow of fluid out of the chamber than into the chamber through the nozzle, said tube endproviding for the free flow of fluid into the chamber and being spaced from said housing for turbulently resisting discharge of fluid from the chamber through the inlet tube to cause a resultant greater flow of fluid into the chamber than out of the chamber through said tube.

4. A fluid pump comprising a housing having a tapered chamber extending longitudinally therein defining an outlet opening in the housing at the small end of the chamber providing for the free flow of fluid out of the chamber, a chamber inlet tube passing through said housing and extending tangentially into the chamber providing for the free flow of fluid into the chamber, and means within said chamber for alternately drawing fluid into the chamber and for forcing fluid out of the chamber through the inlet tube and outlet opening, said inlet tube having the inner end thereof suspended in the chamber for turbu lently resisting fluid flowing from the chamber to provide a resultant greater flow of fluid into the chamber through the inlet tube than out of the chamber through said inlet tube.

5. A fluid pump comprising a housing having a tapered chamber extending longtiudinally therethrough defining an outlet opening in the housing at the small end of the chamber, an inlet tube passing through said housing and having the inner end extending into the chamber providing for the free flow of fluid into the chamber, an outlet nozzle communicating with said outlet opening having an inner passage and a larger outer axial passage therein, a flexible diaphragm enclosing the large end of the chamber, and means for flexing said diaphragm longtiudinally to alternately draw fluid into the chamber and to force fluid out of the chamber through both the inlet tube and outlet nozzle, said inlet tube end being spaced from said housing for turbulently resisting discharge of fluid from the chamber to cause a resultant greater flow of fluid into the chamber than out of the chamber, and a lateral shoulder having an annular groove therein coaxial with said outlet nozzle and connecting the inner and outer passages of fluid out of the chamber than into the chamber.

6. A fluid pump comprising a housing having a conical chamber extending longitudinally therethrough defining an outlet opening in the housing at the small end of the chamber, an inlet tube passing through said housing and having one end extending into the chamber along an axis defining a geometrical chord of the conical chamber, a chamber outlet nozzle having an inner passage and a larger outer coaxial passage therein providing for the free flow of fluid from the chamber, means within the chamber and operative to alternately draw fluid into the chamber and to force fluid out of the chamber through both the inlet tube and outlet nozzle, said tube end being spaced from said housing for turbulently resisting discharge of fluid from the chamber through the inlet tube to cause a resultant greater flow of fluid into the chamber than out of the chamber, and a lateral shoulder having an annular groove therein coaxial with said outlet nozzle and connecting the inner and outer passages for turbulently resisting the flow of fluid into the chamber from the outlet nozzle to cause a resultant greater flow of fluid out of the chamber than into the chamber.

7. A fluid pump comprising a housing having a conical chamber extending longitudinally therethrough defining an outlet opening in the housing at the small end of the chamber, an inlet tube passing through said housing into the chamber along an axis defining a geometrical chord of the conical chamber a distance less than one-half the length of the chord, an outlet nozzle extending from said housing and having an inner passage and a larger outer coaxial passage therein, means within the chamber and operative to alternately draw fluid into the chamber and to force fluid out of the chamber through both the inlet tube and outlet nozzle, said tube end providing for the free flow of fluid into the chamber and being spaced from said housing for turbulently resisting discharge of fluid from the chamber through the inlet tube to cause a resultant greater flow of fluid into the chamber than out of the chamber, and a lateral shoulder having an annular groove therein coaxial with said outlet nozzle and connecting the inner and outer passages for turbulently resisting the flow of fluid into the chamber from the outlet .nozzle to cause a resultant greater flow of fluid out of the chamber than into the chamber.

8. A fluid pump comprising a housing defining a chamber, an inlet tube passing through said housing into the chamber providing for the free flow of fluid into the chamber, an outlet nozzle extending from said housing and having an inner passage and a larger outer coaxial passage providing for free flow of fluid from the chamber, means within said chamber operaitve to alternately draw fluid into the chamber and to force fluid out of the chamher through both the inlet tube and outlet nozzle, said tube end being spaced from said housing for turbulently resisting discharge of fluid from the chamber through the inlet tube to cause a resultant greater flow of fluid into the chamber than out of the chamber, a lateral surface connecting the inner and outer nozzle passages defining an annular groove concentric with the passages and extending longitudinally toward the chamber reversing the direction of a part of fluid flowing toward the chamber in the outlet nozzle for resisting the flow of the remaining part of such fluid into the chamber to cause a resultant greater flow of fluid out of the chamber than into the chamber through the nozzle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,776,741 Schwab Sept. 23, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS 95,097 Switzerland June 1, 1922 647,481 Germany July 5, 1937 

